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Transcriptional regulatory elements

Definition

Transcriptional regulatory elements are nucleotide sequences of a gene that are involved in regulation of genetic transcription. These include the promoter, plus response elements, activator and enhancer sequences for binding of transcription factors to aid RNA polymerase binding and promote expression, and operator or silencer sequences to which repressor proteins bind to block RNA polymerase attachment and prevent expression.

News and Comment

A new study demonstrates that DNA methyltransferase inhibitors and histone deacetylase inhibitors induce widespread cryptic transcription from transposable elements that may contribute to cancer immunogenicity.

Long noncoding (lnc)RNAs are postulated to control diverse biological processes by modulating transcription, yet for most lncRNAs evidence supporting this function has been lacking. A new report describes the role of a novel class of lncRNAs—chromatin-associated enhancer RNAs or cheRNAs—in the regulation of proximal gene expression.

Inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases and of histone deacetylases induce transcription from cryptic transposable elements, which results in 5′-truncated and mis-spliced proteins that may increase cancer immunogenicity.